Jon Stewart bids farewell to the ‘The Daily Show’

Jon Stewart signed off “The Daily Show” for the last time Thursday (Aug. 6), ending a 16-year run on Comedy Central in which he took aim at politicians and mainstream media with his trademark wit and honesty.

The final episode opened with pretend coverage of the Republican primary presidential debate in Cleveland (which actually took place after the taping of the episode), as a parade of correspondents from the present and the past made brief appearances – including Steve Carell, John Oliver, Larry Wilmore and Stephen Colbert.

Colbert – who moved on to lead the successful spinoff show, “The Colbert Report,” and will now follow David Letterman as the host of “Late Show” – took time to thank Stewart for the tremendous opportunity and learning experience he was granted.

“You were infuriatingly good at your job,” Colbert said. “All of us who were lucky enough to work with you for 16 years are better at our jobs because we got to watch you do yours.”

Then, in similar fashion to many other finales, Stewart highlighted the crew behind the scenes and thanked them for their hard work and dedication. However, to do so, he introduced the crew members in an extended tracking shot reminiscent of a scene from “Goodfellas,” even including a cameo from Martin Scorsese himself.

Stewart then urged viewers to remain cognizant of the misinformation that flows from the mouths of politicians and lawmakers. After all, it’s only right that he takes some parting shots.

“The good news is this, bull—–ers have gotten pretty lazy and their work is easily detected – and looking for it is kind of a pleasant way to past the time,” he said. “So I say to you tonight, friends, the best defense against bull—t is vigilance. So if you smell something, say something.”

Before passing it off to Bruce Springsteen and the E Street Band, Stewart ended the show with his final acknowledgments and reminded everyone that it’s not a goodbye but rather a “pause in the conversation.”

What did you think of Stewart’s final episode? And what were some of your favorite moments from the show? Let us know in the comment section.